The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has issued a warning regarding hacktivists who have been interfering with online systems that oversee water, energy, and agricultural facilities. Information security officers were informed through an alert that the Cyber Centre and the RCMP have received numerous reports in recent weeks concerning incidents involving internet-accessible industrial control systems. One instance detailed in the alert mentioned that tampering with water pressure at an undisclosed facility led to disruptions in service to a community. Another incident involved the manipulation of an automated tank gauge, setting off false alarms at a Canadian oil and gas company.
A third case highlighted in the alert involved unauthorized adjustments to temperature and humidity levels within a grain-drying silo on a Canadian farm, potentially creating hazardous conditions. The Cyber Centre, a division of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), emphasized that although specific organizations may not be primary targets, they could still fall prey to opportunistic hacktivists seeking to garner media attention, tarnish organizational reputations, and undermine Canada’s standing.